Pipe elevator



0- s. L. CAMPEILL 1,777,541

PIPE ELEVATOR Filed Feb. 14, 1928 In yew/ o): Stewart L, 60/22 56!!! WZMW vzzfarlzey.

Patented Oct; 7, 1930' UETIE 1 A ES; E' Z FF E1i? STEWAR'IL L. C MPBELL; .OFjBER E n Y, summit; iissienon T07 Joan. GRANT. or i r 7 77 7 7 nosnnennns, CALIFORNIA 7 7 Appliation filed February 14; 1928. scan nth- 254,240 r This invention relates. to,,pipe gripping and supportingdevices am ne like, and-more particularly, to pipe gripping andsupporting devicessucl as are used inyyvell work. A

typical and presently preferred embodiment.

of the invention is herein explained specifically as, p pe. elevator, butflit willbe made herelnafter to appear that the invention is notnecessarily limited to such a; specific piece I of apparatus asja pipeelevator, but may be equally Wellapplicable not only to elevators of types and forms other than that explained herein, but also to pipe supports iii-general.

The invention applies more particularlyto improvements in pipegripping and supporting devices of the nature employing-{Wedge slips, and the invention resides particularly in the provisionof an improved arrangement and mechanismior raising and loweringsuch 7 edge slips to move them into and outof operativeiengagement With a pipe 7 One of the characteristic features of invention, as Will hereinafterappear, resides in its use of cams or similarly functioning elements which rotateabout an axis or axestransverse to the gripping andsuppporting devicesas to an elevator; butj,-as an additional characteristic feature Whenapplied to an elevator, the op- '7 erating-cam devices of which I- speak are preferably mounted to. rotate about the same aXistrunnions that take theelevator sups portingbail. Thus the use of my invention as applied to an elevatorhas characteristics additional to its use as appliedto other pipe supporting devices such as. spiders, rotary tables, etc, and for that reason-I preferto explain the invention specifically and in dB tail. as applied to a pipe elevator, but WltllOLlt any implication of limitation thereto.

which, however, ill be betterunderstood froma considerationof theafollovving specific description,reference for that; purpose being 7 axis ofthe gripping devices and, specifically,

There areother features ofthe invention .Iis a front elevationiof and elevator With my invention applied thereto; 7 i 7 7 Fig. 2 is a somewhatenlarged plan oi-th sa.me, but With certain parts removed and other parts in section, for clarity of illustration; i Fig. 3 is 'a side elevationotthesame, showing the bail trunnion in section 1 I Fig. 4 is acentral horizontal section of the same; and 77 Fig. 5 is a central same aspect as Fig. 3. a

In the drawings 1 show a. suitable body at 10, the body in this particularease being shown as substantially cylindric inform. In

vertical section in the this form the body may be takenastypical supporting bushing or thelilre. ,011 theother e 7 hand, as applied to elevators,it wiflll be read ily recognized from a consideration of the operating structure-that the invention is not limitedto application tea solidbody, but maybe applied to bodieswhich are made to open and;close,- or. with opening 'andclosing gates, as in many-types of elevators, In other Words, the specific nature of the body is not a limitation on the applicability of my in-v vention; I

. The bore ot-bodylO is conical or tapered,,as indicatedat llyandthe slipxsets 12, 12 lit in and interact with thebody bore in ajmanner ell known; and needingno description here; it being only necessaryto remember that the slips move outwardly and away from theipipe 34.-expand around the pipe-When raised, and contract aroundthe.

pipe when lowenedgta'nd thatwhenthe slips are inye'ngagenient With the pipe the Weight of the pipe tends to Wedge them; down-to grip thepipe tightly.- 7 7 77 7 77 7 For each slip or slip set thereisa pivot trunnion 16 projecting i om the body; 7 and f inthe specific embodiment herfe shown there "aret-wo suchtrun-nions 16 projecting radially 7 and diametrically opposite each other from opposite sides of the body; and correspondingly there are two sets ofslips 12,123, In applying: my invention specifically to an ele- Natorandnsing the trunnions as the centers of rotation for the cam devices, there are only two sets of slips and two cam devices; and these two slip sets must, for gripping efficiency, encircle a large portion of the pipe periphery. At the same time these slips should, as nearly as possible, fit'the varying diameter'of the tapered bore 11 so as to be solidly backed by the body in any position in whichthey may grip the Pipe. Consequently, in this two slip-setdesign, Icompose each slip set of a central slip .12 and two wing j slips 12 pivoted on vertical hinge pins13 to videdwithtwoopen-top slots 19 to pass the pins. These lugs or pins become the conraised. r

necti'ng'media through which the slots are raised and lowered by the cam mechanisms now to be explained; Also, to prevent the slips from moving circumferentially around in the -body,"and at-the same time to take stresses off the pins 15, the back sides of slips 12 are provided with ribs 'or'keys23- which play vertically in shallow grooves or slots 22 in the body. The slips are thus held against any forcible circumferential move ment in the body and pins 15 are protected from being sheared or bent by forcible contact with the walls of slots 19. i V

Mounted on each trunnion 1 6 is a cam disk 24', oneof which is shown in elevation in Fig; 3. This cam disk has a cam slot 33 through which thecorresponding pin 15 projects; and the camslot presents a cam surface 28 which acts to raise the pins and slips and a cam surface 27 which acts to lower the pins and slips. At their outer ends pins 15 have heads of some form, here shown as removable washers 30, which prevent the pins and slips from moving inwardly and out of operative engagement with the cams. Also these heads, riding on the outer wedge face 27 ofthe cam, cause the slips to move outward asthey'move upward and cause them to draw out away fromthe pipe as they are i In the form and arrangement of device herein specifically described the opposite and coaxial arrangement of the two trunnions l6 fac litates the application of a single operat I ingfhandle to both the cams 24. Thus the cams haveextending arms 25 cross-connected at their outer ends by a' handlev 26; and the arms 25 are so positioned on the, cams with relation to the cam slots that the handle 26 in its operating movement moves up' and down at one side of the elevator, never moving across either its top or bottom.

' On these samejtrunnions 16 the elevator bail 20 is also mounted, the eyes or loops 20*" of the elevator bail surrounding trunnions 16 immediately-outside cams 24'. Inorde'r to may. bea' central web 31 around the elevator body, substantially square in plan, and which presents bearing faces v32 to the inner faces of the cams; I Z

In the structure asthus described the trunnions 16 are preferably set near the.vertical center'off the body so that the cams need proj ect neither above or below the body, and also to facilitate swinging ofthebody from its vertical position, the handle 26 forming a manual means for swinging the body about vthe-trunnions 16. l Vhen the handle 26 is at either end of itsv travel (or when it'is in any position, provided the friction of movement of the cams and slips with relation to the body is greater than the friction of the swinging movement of the body on its trunnions, which is usually the case) handle 16 becomes not only an operating handle for the slips, butalso a very convenient means of tipping the body to any suitable angle to applyit to a pipe which may not be in a vertical P iti n I i ln'applying the device to a pipe, handle 26 is moved upwardly and cam face 28 then acts to raise the slips to their uppermost and expanded position, in which position they maybe passed over collar 35 of a'pipe 34. Having beenthus 'placed'around the pipe the slips'are next thrown into engagement with the 'pipeby'moving the handle downwardly,

cam face 27* coming into engagement with pin 15 and moving the slips down until they tion of pins 15in cam slots 33 may take care of this further downward movement of the slips, preventingthe pins from coming down into forcible engagement with the cam faces 28 However the provision of lost'motion may not be necessary and, in fact, is in some ways objectionable. "The cam angle may be such that pressure of the pin upon the cam 1 face 28 may tendto rotate the cam, and especially so because the handle arms and'handle by their weight tend to rotate the cams at all times in'the slips-lowering direction. At the same time, with pins 15 tightly'fitting cam, slots; 33,- the slips? cannot be 1 disengaged fromthe pipeifa lowering string-oi pipe shouldghappen to come to astop, as often occurs..-fl;he engagement of washers 30 against the canifaces 27* also serves to hold the slips tighttto prevent theelevatorfrom movingor,

slippingdown the pipe. I a

operating feature, to which a I call para ticular attention isthis: that handle 26 is moved in the same general direction asthe slips. ,When it is desired to move, the slips down-the handle is moved down, and upward movement of] the handle causes upwardmovement of theslips. Again the relation shipsof movements are such that, the eleva tor is lowered-for the purpose of disengaging; the slips iro n'a pipe otherwisesu-pported,,iti is only necessary to holdthe handle 26 stationary to cause upward movementof the" handle and the ,slips with relation 1 to the bodygand if the body is being raisedflto take;

up the weight'of a pipe,jagain it .mayonlybe the body Thus,,for instance,-inF-igs, 1' and.

5 the handleis shown in av depressed position. below the end-of thebody, but stillnot swungj inwardlyfar enough to swing acrossthe end: of the body or'to strike the pipe held int-the slips, "This arrangement of thehandle, t ogether with the movement relationships hereinbefore explained, makes it-possibleto make:

the. elevator slips self releasing if desired' as the elevator is lowered; upon a? support; or table. i i I also call particular attention to the duplex or double-cam actionof the'camor cams? 24. From what I havesaidfit will be Iclear that thesetcams not only by theirfrotation raise" and lower the slips,but also simultaneously move -themgin a'ndout so as to makeithem;

follow the conical bore and draw away from the pipe as they are raised. Theangle and dispositioltot cam: faces QRa-remade such, iii-relation togthe conical angle-foibore 11, that when the slips are raised they are posi tively moved Olliff'jllst the rightgdistance to keepvthem at all times against, the bore stirfacefl *1 In summary I I here explained are peculiarly adaptedto easy andquick manipulation, at thesame time i allowing substantial power to be applied to the movementofithe slips.- 'The up; anddown; movement ofxthe operatingthandleine only may say that the devices as has its simple. relationship to the vertical movements of "the slips and. body, as before .explained,'but thathandle movement is also one which facilitates the application-at maximum manual power; Simple and eiiectlvem operation, the deviee is likewise simple' in;

structure and assembly, involving only a few rugged parts. Complete disassembly for-pun poses of renewing parts is comparativelysim ple; but the-design makesit possible toiremove the-slips-w-ithout disassembling any ofthe remaining parts. For insta'nce,by raisingithe slips to their uppermost position,

where theyare mostwidely spread from each other, the washer 301 can be removed from pinsllo and then the slip, sets, oneat a time, can be moved inwardly vfar enough to dis engagetheir pins 15 from the cams, when the; slips Iclaim: p a

1.-In a device ofthecharacter described, a body having a vertical sliplreceiving bore, awedge slip movable Vertically insaidbore, and slip operating means adapted to niove the slip vertically and which includes an op-' erating handle pivoted on a} substantially can be lifted directly out of the i horizontal pivot axis to: the body,said axis being substantially radial with respect to the receiving bore. a v a, 1 i

2; Inca device of the character described, a body, having a vertical slip receiving bore, awedge slip movable'verticallyfin said bore, aslip operating means comprising a cam mounted on thebody ona substantially horizontal axis} of rotation, means on the slip enga-ging the cam, and an operating handle connectedwith the camandadaptedtoswing p'ivotally about said horizontal cam axis. 1

3.- In a device of a the character described, a body provided with slip receiving bore, a pair of opposite. wedge slips movable yertic ally in said bore, two separate means located at opposite sides ofthe'body one for operating each wedge; slip, each of saidimeans including a handle lever movable vertically; and a cross-connectinghandle between said levers and substantially integral therewith whereby the levers maybe" operated equally, and-simultaneously. I

1:4. In a device of {the i a body provided with a slip receiving bore, a {pair of opposite Wedge slips movable venti-i cally in said bore, two'pivot trunnions extendingoutwardly from. opposite sides: of. thebody, one adj acentf each Wedge slip, a cam member mountedjto jrotjat'e on eachpjivottrun-v nio'n," connecting means Q between each cam member and'Qthe adjacent wedge slip, and means for rotating the cam meniberst a 5. In a -device of the character described,

aibody providedwith aslip receivingbore, a a V pair of opposite Wedgeslips} movablegvertt calla! said b e, WQ'a pi ot Z r nio sg'e endingipu i apdly:irom opp site sides o the character described,

wedge slip movable verticallyin the bore,

a rotatable cam member mounted exterior of the bodyon a horizontal axis-of rotation, means connecting the slip with the cam mem her, and the cam member being, adapted by rotation in opposite, directions to'move the slip up and down. i

(T bore, a wedge slip movable vertically, in are bore,

a rotatable cam 5 member mounted exterior;

of the body on a horizontal axis of rotation, means connecting the slip with the cam member, said caminember having an eccentriccam slot, and the slip having a lug projecting into-said cam slot.

I 8. In a device of the Character described, a body with a vertical slip receiving bore, a wedge slip movable vertically in the bore, a rotatable cam member mounted exterior of the body on a horizontal axis of rotation, means connecting the slip with the cam member, said cam'memberhaving an eccen tric cam slot, and the slip having a lug projecting into said cam slot, the lug having free play in the cam slot to allow limited vertical movement of the slip independently" ofthecam movement. I i

9. In adevi'ce ofthe character described, a body having a vertical slip receiving bore, a wedgeslip movable vertically in the bore, means for guiding the wedge slip vertically and preventing circumferential movement of the slip around the bore, the body having a vertical slot through its wall, a projecting lug onthe slip extending through said slot,

a horizontal pivot trunnion projecting ex-' teriorly of the body substantially opposite the slip, a 163,111 disk mounted for rotation on said pivot trunniomsaid cam disk having a cam slot into which'theslip' lug'enters. and

a handle connected with the cam disk and, movable substantially vertically at one side of'the body; p

. i 10. Ina pipe elevator or it-he like, 'a'body with a vertical slip receiving bore there-l through, horizontal; pivot trunnions extending oppositely from the body, a; supportingbail pivotally mountedg on said pivot trun-' nions, a pair ofslip raising and lowering cams'mounted forrot'ation one on each of the pivot trunnions, and means interconnecting each slip with' o'ne of said cams. I 11. In ajpipe elevator' or'the like, a body with a vertical slip receiving b'o're' lthera a device of the characterdescrib'ed, 'a body with a vertical'slip receivin through, horizontal pivot trunnions extending oppositely from the body a supporting bail pivotally mounted on said pivot trunnions, a pair of slip raising and lowering cams mounted for rotation one on each of the pivot trunnions, means interconnecting each slip with one of said cams, a handle lever extending from each cam, and a crossconnectinghandle between said handle levers. I 1

12. In :a pipe elevator or the like, a body with avertical slip receiving bore therethrough, a pair of wedge slips mounted for vertical movement in the bore, a pair of pivot trunnions extending outwardly from opposite. sides of the body, a supporting bail pivotally mounted on said pivot trunnions, a substantially U-shaped handle assembly extending around one side of the body and pivotally-rotatable about both pivot trunmons, and means operated by said handle assembly to cause vertical movements of the slips by virtue of swinging movement of the handleassembly. I i

13. In a pipe elevator or the like, a body with a vertical slip receivingfbore therethrough, a pair of wedge, slips mounted for vertical 'movement in the bore, a pair of pivot trunnions extending outwardly from opposite sides of the body, a supporting bail pivotally mounted on said pivot trunnions, asubstantially U-shaped handle assembly extending, around one side of the body and pivotally rotatable aboutboth pivot trunnions, and two separate means located one at each. trunnion and each connecting the handle assembly to one slip for causingvertical slip'movement by virtue of swinging movement of the handle assembly.

' 14. In a device of the class described, a body provided with a vertical bore, horizontal opposed trunnions to said body, slips movable vertically in said bore, a bail connected to said trunnions, and slip operating means including levers pivoted to said body on said trunnions. I

15. Ina device of the class described, a

body provided with a vertical pipe receiving bore, an annular assembly of pipe engaging slips in said bore, radial projections to said assembly of slips projecting through the body, external horizontal trunnions radial tothe body'and bore, and members oscillatableon said trunnions and presenting raising and lowering surfaces to" said'projec tions.

- 16. In a device of the character described, a body having a vertical conical slip receiving bore, a wedge slip movable in said bore in contact with the bore Wall, a horizontally revoluble} cam having" a radial cam face adapted to move theslipvertically and having an end cam face adapted to move theslip horizontally as it is moved vertically.

1-7'. In" a device of the'character described,

a body With a vertical conical slip receiving bore, a Wedge slip movable in said bore in contact With the bore Wall, a rotatable cam member mounted exterior of the body on a horizontal axis of rotation, said cam member having an eccentric cam slot, a lug on the slip projecting through said cam slot and having a head exterior of the cam, and the cam having an exterior cam face coacting With the head to positively cause horizontal movement of the slip simultaneously With its vertical movement caused by the action of said eccentric cam slot. A

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of January, 1928.

, STEWART L. CAMPBELL. 

